In the Spotlight: Follow-up with Natalie Wade

We were able to catch back up with Natalie Wade for an update on the status of her build, tune in to check out her progress!

Q: So Natalie, how’s it going? The house about 95% complete. The entire bathroom needs to be done, and the kitchen really only needs to be decorated. I just began to envision the kitchen and the color scheme and I think it’s going to turn out nice. I already had the vision for the bathroom, as well as about 98% of the materials to begin the install. I still have some painting under the trailer to complete and some gaps to close up in certain areas. Mostly just decorating and some finishing touches mainly around the house remain to be done.

The plumbing is a breeze so I don’t’ even consider that something that needs to be done, but it does. Just connecting the pipes from the shower to the sink and that’s it. When I do move it to its final resting spot I have decided to get a wood burning stove, I would like to heat up my place faster than the electric heater currently does now.

I have slowed down in the build, which I have found to be a good thing, because the house is coming along exactly as I envision it to be. I am able to get what I want or wait till I find what I want for my house instead of rushing just to finish it. I have decided as of yesterday that I would like it to be completed by the end of January, no later than Feb 2017.

Q: Were there any changes made to the original plans? The outside color scheme is totally different. I wanted to go with this luxury blue color but that didn’t work out, so the exterior color is now deep gray and white. I think its looks incredible, better than what I originally wanted and I’m proud of the change. I am going to get solar panels for the roof in case I end up at a place that does not provide electricity.

I also intended on having 8′ wall of sliding glass doors which I got for such a bargain on Craigslist, but that was when I was going to be building using a shipping container and I decided to go with a 5th wheel trailer instead. I was still going to use the sliding glass do0r, but got a little afraid of the weight. Each door weighed about 50 pounds at least, so I sold the doors and just stuck with the 5′ slider I now have.

Also the closet area was going to be about 2′ shorter and I was going to build a little porch on the edge on the overhang. I am glad I did not do that because the space in the closet is perfect.

Q: Where are you physically located now? I am still at the build site and have begun looking for a suitable spot to put her on.

Q: How are you feeling about everything? I love love love my house. I remember the first week in my house I kept waking up in the morning thinking to myself, “Wow, I am waking up in MY HOUSE. The house that I built.” I would just smile and sit on the edge of the loft and stare at it for quite some time. I have built it to suit my needs perfectly. I even have more storage space then I need, its roomy, open and does not feel cramped at all. I am able to entertain my friends when they come over to see how things are coming along and I know once I settle her in her final resting place and build my deck it’s going to be the spot to be at. 🙂

My favorite feature used to be my front door, but now it has become my luxurious walk in closet. A wonderful, walk in closet has always been on my wish list in a home I would own, and now I finally have one. Sitting on the ottoman getting dressed and looking in the mirror checking myself out always makes me smile. I mean I can’t believe it, I really have all that I wanted in a house and it’s MY HOUSE. Made just for me. I am smiling now just thinking about it. Though there are still things to be done, I have to add the last three mirrors to the other side of the closet doors, and do some touch up paint work around the house, as well as some other odds and ends.

Q: What’s your adjustment been like? The only real adjustment is living under construction. I can’t wait to be done with the dust. Dust oh dust, please go away. 🙂 Even though I can’t wait to be just be done with the whole thing I know that as soon as I am I will wish I was still building or working on it. But it’s been a blast and wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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2 comments

Great article and photos. My interior is still a blank canvas so Natalie’s article and photos are helping me with ideas for my own space; like where to put the TV and how can I make good use of the loft space! Thanks!!

Jewel Pearson

Jewel Pearson’s transition to tiny living spanned a course of ten years, where she invested a year and a half researching and planning all of the details for her home before beginning her build. Since completing her build in early 2015 and sharing her story on HGTV’s Tiny House, Big Living, Jewel is happily settled into tiny house living and she and her tiny home have transitioned into icons for the movement. Known in the tiny house world as Ms. Gypsy Soul, most remember her home for her beautiful oversized round window, her walk in closet, Juliette balcony and screened in porch and they remember Jewel for not compromising on her vision for her tiny home.

Jewel has taken her project management and consultation background and added her design and build expertise and now works with others offering professional consultation and build services and has become an advocate for the tiny house movement. She also uses her platform as a voice for representation and diversity in the movement and founded Tiny House Trailblazers, a partnership of three powerful and uniquely talented women who together are an even stronger voice for unity and diversity within the tiny house movement.

Jewel’s urban and chic home is a vision of tiny house luxury and is representative of her spirit and energy. Her tiny home episode continues to be a favorite HGTV and DIY Channel rerun and Jewel's been featured in numerous media outlets, locally and internationally. Jewel speaks throughout the country at tiny house events and workshops to educate and to empower, as well as to inspire others to follow their dreams and design a life they love.

Dominique Moody

Completed in 2015 after three years of work, Dominique Moody's tiny home is a work of art. Nicknamed the NOMAD, an acronym for "Narrative, Odyssey, Manifesting Artistic Dreams", it's full of whimsical touches that highlight Moody's incredible journey as both an artist and as a human being who's in touch with her personal truths. Once a realist illustrator, after the loss of her central eyesight she has transitioned to working as an assemblage sculptor – and the Nomad is just that and more.

The NOMAD is a remarkable home, accompanied with a remarkable story and is certainly reflective of Dominique, who designed and built much of it herself. There are remnants of wood, architectural woodwork, washing machine glass doors turned into windows, salvaged metal reshaped and patinated into a subtly beautiful facade. Spinning above the entry is a beautiful recycled world globe, housed in a recycled bubble window. Moody herself is known for her complex and rich "assemblage" artworks, which are made from recycled materials and her tiny home was made in the same fashion.

Dominique spends much of her time on the west coast hosting tours, open houses and workshops, though she does travel, making her tiny house a nomadic artist in residence when invited to be a guest by arts organizations, cultural centers, museums, communities or educational campuses. The house itself is not a studio, so she plans to work outside where the raw materials will also be found. Site specific artwork will be created, the process documented, and left behind to be discovered by chance.